Back to Business against RSL

Finally, the non-stop onslaught of work trips (capped off with a little Labor Day Vegas getaway), is over. I’ve missed some time here at the FanBlog, and even missed the 1-1 tie against KC this weekend–somehow I couldn’t get the Wynn Sports Book to divert even one of its 50 TV monitors from college football to Fox Soccer Channel.

The Dynamo are again riding the low end of the roller coaster known as the 2007 season. They’ve flowed from a thrilling pre-season Champions Cup, to a horrible MLS start, up to an impeccable June and July, and now back down to stuck-in-the-mud results and a team medical staff getting overtime checks.

The Orange have won 1 of their last 5 MLS games (though, happily, that was against FC Dallas) and have scored only 3 goals during that series. None of the four opponents Houston failed to beat during that time have a winning record. Simply, it’s been soccer on a best-effort basis with injuries devastating the team’s core of attack. The Dynamo have Real Salt Lake coming up Saturday night at Robertson, and while RSL has the second-worst record in the league, they’ve picked up two wins in a row (admittedly, their last win was against the horrible Los Angeles Galaxy, now on the fast-track to relegation if MLS had it).

Perhaps even a little scarier is some depth RSL has gotten from a new trio of Argentines: Fabian Espindola, Matias Mantilla, and Javier Morales. There are mixed reports on their performances over the 2-3 games they’ve played, but I’m looking forward to seeing some Argentine flavor in the league.

Regardless, Houston’s defense is still nearly impenetrable, and RSL has the worst offense in the league, so it’s hard to see the Dynamo giving up more than one goal; unfortunately, it’s equally difficult imagining Houston scoring more than an odd goal with Ching, Holden, Ngwenya, Dalglish, and Davis hurt.

Sadly, as we come down the stretch, the likelihood of holding on to the top spot in the West diminishes knowing that Chivas USA and FC Dallas are hot on the Dynamo’s heels, only 3 points back but with 2-4 extra game in which to make up the difference. Winning the Supporters Shield may be out of the question for the Dynamo, but at least winning the West and getting home field in the conference final would be huge.

Winning Saturday night might not be enough to get the Dyanmo to the top spot, but losing almost certainly means the goal of guaranteed home field advantage will be out of reach. I’m predicting a 1-0 Houston win. And yes, I will be there this week.